He took my number from a friend and we set up a date at a bar 5 minutes from both of our respective homes. It took us about two weeks to make a decision on when to meet. If there’s anything I’ve learnt in all my years of dating, it’s never blow off work, friends, or family for a I-don’t-know-how-it’s-going-to-go date, especially a first date. You will always regret it! Or maybe that’s just me? But that was the priority list and he seemed to get it, so I thought ‘ehh… let’s give this a shot.’
I won’t say he was amazingly good looking or totally cute, but he had that tall, broad shoulders, and prominent bone structure kind of look. Looks aren’t first on my list of priorities, but the mental tick mark did go off. We proceeded to the regular small talk: where are you from, what’s work like, etc. I made it a point not to down my gin and tonic in one big gulp, probably wouldn’t make for the best first date impression.
Two drinks later, two very slowly sipped drinks later, we took it from one bar to the next. At this point I think I was letting loose a little. I graduated from gin and tonic to fancy cocktails and I’m sure it wasn’t the alcohol speaking, but he seemed like your regular South Mumbai boy: Catholic school, undergraduate degree from the U.S, dibble dabble in more than one business, and that halfway between gentlemen and cocky douche vibe. Not bad, right? This is the point where I was hoping he wouldn’t say something stupid and maybe this would lead to date number 2, if not more. God knows I need a little fun.
Aaand… that’s exactly when it went from maybe to oh-hell-no, real quick. Somewhere between a brief conversation on exes and cocktail number 2, he asked me if I would like to accompany him to an after party with his friends. My brain kind of went, hold up… already? But then the more inebriated part went, hey, at least he isn’t being shady about this. And I wasn’t entirely wrong to think that, anyone who’s dated at all can guess why, but I digress.
Now, I don’t know if he had one too many and lost all sense of a verbal filter, but he didn’t forget to mention that I was pretty, to which I thanked him, and then he said…
It’s a good thing you’re pretty too, or else I probably wouldn’t want to introduce you to my friends.
That ended with an awkward ‘haha.’ Maybe he had realized from the dead expression on my face that I wasn’t amused. I didn’t retort, it wasn’t outright sexist or anything. It wasn’t something that warranted a pissed off reaction either, but mental X was blaring.
I would be lying if I said that was the end of my date. Curiosity, perhaps? I did drop by to meet his friends before I snuggled into bed for another marathon of The Mindy Project, turns out they were pretty normal and pleased to meet me. Too bad he felt the way he did and made a point to vocalize it. Who knows what could’ve been? Although, I’m glad he vocalized it, that’s not something I’d want to hear five dates down the line.
I can’t say I’m not superficial in the least bit. I guess we all are, to a certain extent, but what he said pushed all the wrong buttons. Would you let that slide or is that behavior a major ‘no no’? We would love to hear.